Sunday, September 26, 2010

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (9/27)

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Commits

Norman Powell, a guard at Lincoln High in San Diego has committed to UCLA. Powell plays for former Van Nuys coach Jason Bryant and helped lead the Hornets to a Div. II state championship last March. Daily News 9/26

Recruits

Quinn Cook isn't involved in quite the same kind of Devils vs. Heels tug-'o-war as Rivers. But with his list narrowed to seven schools, he still has both Duke and Carolina on his radar. A quick and energetic guard, Cook will play his senior season of high school ball at Oak Hill Academy but will first have to regroup after tearing cartilage in his right knee last month. A close friend of current Blue Devils star Nolan Smith, Cook was in Durham last weekend for an unofficial visit, taking in the Duke-Alabama football game. He is due back at Duke for his official visit the first weekend of October and it would seem likely that the Blue Devils would be a major factor in his final decision. At last check, UNC still hadn't offered Cook a scholarship. But part of that could be due to the Heels wanting to know more from Rivers first. As the official visit train keeps chugging, it will be interesting to keep track of Cook's whereabouts. He is also currently considering three Big East schools (St. John's, Rutgers and Georgetown) as well as two Pac-10 programs (UCLA and Arizona). Fay Observer 9/23

Adonis Thomas is a 6-foot-6 wing from Memphis, a consensus top 10 national prospect, and only a couple of months away from signing day remains a recruiting target of five programs: Arkansas, Florida, Memphis, Tennessee and UCLA. I've privately talked with at least one coach from each of those staffs about Thomas at one point or another, and they all agree he's a terrific prospect, an awesome kid and the type of player who helps you win. They also agree on this: He's probably not leaving home. Thomas won't announce anything for another month, of course. He'll visit Fayetteville and Gainesville and Los Angeles, this after visiting Knoxville two weekends ago. He'll consider his options, enjoy himself, be wined and dined and adored. But when pen eventually hits paper, everybody I've spoken with agrees, the smart money has this certain McDonald's All-American signing with Josh Pastner's Tigers, and all other schools are probably wasting their time. In fact, two coaches asked me this exact question recently: Why am I wasting my time? My answer: I have no idea. CBS Sports 9/23

Norvel Pelle, the No. 2 center in the Class of 2011, is close to determining which official visits he will take. In a phone interview Wednesday night, the 6-foot-10, 205-pound Pelle of Los Angeles Price said he was considering St. John’s, UTEP, UConn and “the whole PAC 10 except Arizona.” He specifically mentioned Oregon and Washington from the PAC 10. He said he wasn’t sure where he would take officials. “I don’t know,” he said. “I just finished my home visits. I’m planning my college visits soon.” Pelle compared himself to a “Kevin Garnett/Kevin Durant mix” and said he was a three/four combo. He said he would consider the two Big East schools on his list even though they are far from home. ZagsBlog 9/23

Quinn Cook, a 6-foot-1 senior point guard from Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va., plans to make an official recruiting visit to Kansas University. Cook, the No. 28-rated player in the Class of 2011, told Rivals.com on Wednesday that he may visit for the Oct. 15 Late Night in the Phog. “I know Ben (McLemore, 6-5 senior, Oak Hill) will be going to Kansas that weekend, so coach (Bill) Self would like me to visit,” Cook said. “I told coach Self that Kansas is definitely a great school, he's a great coach and one of my best friends, Josh Selby, goes there. I’m also good friends with Thomas Robinson, so Kansas would be a good fit.” Cook, who is from Washington, D.C., has already visited Duke. He’s also heard from UConn, Georgetown, Indiana, Kansas State, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, St. John's, Tennessee, UCLA, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest and others. KU Sports 9/23

If the Drew Gooden/Oakland Soldiers are any indication, Arizona is starting to re-establish some West Coast recruiting ties under Sean Miller. Not only did the Wildcats pull in Soldiers players Nick Johnson of Gilbert and Josiah Turner of Sacramento, but they appear to have an early lead on 2012 Soldiers forward Brandon Ashley of the East Bay (Dublin, Calif). Soldiers coach Derrick Artis said Thursday that Ashley appears to favor Arizona at this point, though he will not likely make any decision until at least next summer. That leaves programs such as Kentucky, North Carolina plenty of time to gain ground, while Ashley also has some other Pac-10 interest. "He likes Washington, they've been on him, and UCLA," Artis said. "But he said Arizona is his favorite right now." Arizona Daily Star 9/24

Quinn Cook’s recruitment is somewhat up in the air at the moment both because his knee injury limited his travel options — “The doctors don’t want me flying,” Cook said last week — and because there are very few elite point guards left on the board. “It kind of changes a lot because [schools] are missing on guys,” Smith said. “There’s not really many point guards left. Nobody left of his caliber. He’s the best point guard that I know of.” Cook appeared very interested in Arizona — and was planning a visit in October — but Oakland Soldiers point guard Josiah Turner shocked a lot of people by verballing last weekend to the Wildcats during a visit. Many observers thought Turner would land at Kansas. “I think he was interested,” Smith said of Cook and Arizona. “Turner visited before he did and pulled the trigger. I don’t know where they stood on his [Cook's] list. I know they were recruiting him hard. He was interested and he was gonna visit. “[Arizona-bound Oak Hill wing] Sidiki Johnson was working him. They had a shot at him.” Now Smith says Duke, Kansas, UCLA, Villanova and North Carolina are showing the most interest. ZagsBlog 9/24

I'm happy for Norm Powell. He's looking at the opportunity of a four year UCLA education while living close to home. Maybe that's what CBH values right about now. A mid-range talent with a four year commitment. Quinn Cook sounds good, but what good is a player who looks to be another one-and-done. Overall these NBA prospects only serve to throw off team chemistry.

I would have to agree in part. We don't want to be a platform for simi professionals who merely want some TV exposure for the draft. However, they all aspire to and are told, from an early age, they'll be in the NBA . So we have accept some with thoughts of early departure. Love and Holiday for example.

Very well said and absolutely correct! This is not a problem unique to the UCLA program. It is just part of the atmosphere of college hoops today. The successful juggling of talent in and out is now the high priority on an athletic director in what he pays his coach for.If we grab the five stars, only expect them for a year. BTW, my sources tell me TH goes pro after this season. The only reason to stay would be to play with the Wear Twins, etc if a super successful season would look to be in the cards. Otherwise, he takes his shot at the next level

Hope what Espn says about Bruins opening up their offense is true. For too long we waste talent on not speeding up the game. Probably the recruiting staff had heard enough of recruits wanting to go a more uptempo system.One and done players while can be a pain, it is still a good problem to have. You rather have that problem than not have it at all. Afterall, while basketball is also about teamwork, superior talent more often than not wins out. this is why every year the team that wins is pretty much the same old 5-7 teams on rotation basically.Who wouldnt opt for Millions of dollars a year if you can get it? You cant blame the kids for it. Westbrook can be considered a one and done as well, why? He didnt even really play in his first year and left once he had a breakout year.Dont hate the players, hate the system and also the colleges for encouraging it anyways. It is a business afterall and anyone who thinks it is about education period is lying. Colleges get rich faster with great sports teams than students.you just hope along the way the players learn something and can apply it better in life. Afterall, arent we all going to college to get a better education and hope to get a better job? These kids are no different except they are doing it through sports.

Good post, DB. I agree with 90% of what you said...and even my point of contention comes with an asterisk attached. Regarding the uptempo game, I recall years gone by -- pre-Howland -- when UCLA had some teams that were more than happy to trade baskets if the players could get a chance for a steal or block. There was no discipline; lanes to the hoop would be left open as guards tried for the reach around steal and the bigs goaded opponents into layup attempts while simply hoping to block the shot. When Howland arrived, that "ole" defense departed. I understand how recruits love that run-and-gun style, and I do to some extent think the players like Afflalo--a solid two-way player--dictate how much running can be done. But that was a team that ran more out of transition, resulting from passing-lane and low-block steals. When you have a bunch of young guys who might be overmatched, as a coach you definitely want to slow the game down. I think we have seen a lot more of that of late.